At this time of year it’s common to hear messages from the churches along the lines of ‘Put Christ Back Into Christmas.’ All very well meaning and I take the point. The truth though is that He was kind of shoe-horned into it in the first place. Midwinter festivals stretch back into the mists of time. It was dark and cold and it was good to gather together to celebrate the light and the warmth generated by close relationships. The Romans had their Winter Solstice which centred on 25 December. It was therefore decided by a fourth century Church council that this would be an appropriate day to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We don’t know exactly when He was born. Best estimates are it would probably be around August/September. It seems that it didn’t get off to the best of starts. A prominent Christian leader of the time, Gregory Nanzianzus criticised the ‘feasting to excess, dancing and crowning the doors.’ The latter was probably a hangover from the pagan celebrations when garlands of various kinds were hung on door entrances. And this is the point. Too much of the previous pagan traditions were being carried over into the Christian Christmas. They are still here and have been much deplored by generations of Christians. But now we are hearing from those who adhere to various pagan religions pointing out that the midwinter festival was theirs in the first place and they have every right to celebrate it according to their ways.
It’s hard to argue against that. If the Christian Year has any value it is that at specific times we are called upon to focus on great truths of the faith. And there is much to occupy our minds at this time of the year as we reflect on the implications of the Incarnation. Against that some would argue that this should be part of our consciousness if not daily then certainly on a regular basis. Surely there is a whiff of the ‘man-made’ about it, an artificiality that processes truth rather than acknowledging its dynamism.
I respect that point of view while adhering to the broad outline of the Christian Year. Apart from the truth that is central to a Season there is the encouragement of knowing that universally Christians of all traditions are united in celebrating that truth. It can also provide a springboard for mission. So with Christmas I believe that everyone should be free to celebrate it according to their own values and consciences. This time of the year has always been a mishmash of traditions, legends and myths. But the story of Jesus’ birth has its own power and to have the opportunity to celebrate this in word, song and image is an opportunity not to be scorned.
We are inhibited this year in our celebration of the story. Many church doors will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Certainly many of us have been working hard to make sure that we will have an online presence. But there are other positives to consider. First, Christians of many traditions have seen the restrictions on public worship as an opportunity for more personal engagement with the Word. Pray for the story to make its impact at a deeper level in our lives. Second, there is talk of Christmas being cancelled. Remember that a Christian Christmas has at its centre truths that ‘from all times have firmly stood/And shall from age to age endure.’ Aspects of Christmas celebration can be rubbed out. Some like family gatherings are precious. But even a pared down Christmas does not affect the truth of Emmanuel - God Is With Us.
